Human Services-Public Transit Coordinated Transportation Plan

Summary: Federal Transit Law, as amended by SAFETEA-LU, required that projects selected for funding under the Elderly Individuals and Individuals with Disabilities (Section 5310), Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC), and New Freedom programs be derived from a locally developed, coordinated public transit-human services transportation plan and that the plan be developed through a process that includes participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, representatives of public, private, and non-profit transportation and human services providers and other members of the general public.

In 2012, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (P.L. 112-141) (MAP-21) included changes that impacted the coordinated plan. MAP-21 repealed 5316 – Job Access and Reverse Commute and section 5317 – New Freedom. It retained the 5310 program and reinstated the requirement for a coordinated plan.

As part of fulfilling the requirement to receive funding from any of these sources, MCTC must complete a ‘Coordinated Public Transit Human Services Transportation Plan’. The plan accomplishes the following:

identifies resources currently in use for public transit

surveys users to determine current needs and future expectation of users, and

Short Range Transit Development Plan

An SRTDP is a transit operating plan and capital program for public transportation.

The updated SRTDP will provide an overview of the status of Madera Transit’s service area. More importantly, it will provide a blueprint for improvements to current services, including changes to routes and schedules.

The SRTDP will include a complete assessment of the current system and its riders. It will identify transit needs within Madera County and review alternatives to meet these needs.

The goal of the SRTP is:

To develop a financially sustainable transit system for Madera County Transit riders that maximizes productivity and mobility for everyone who travels within the County.

Why We Plan

Public transportation should increase the ability of all County residents and visitors to get around and provide an alternative to driving.

Public transportation can lessen traffic congestions, promote clean air, provide cost savings, and afford other advantages to riders and the community.

To provide these benefits, Madera County Transit must successfully provide a usable, convenient alternative transportation mode.

How We Plan

The Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) will provide a blueprint for delivering services that are more responsive, more convenient and more cost effective. The updated SRTP will be the “master plan” that will govern Madera County Transit’s efforts to improve and encourage alternative transportation over the coming years.

This Plan will embody:

Comments from individuals, obtained through public outreach activities including surveys;

Statistical analyses, including demographic trends and system performance;

Review of other agencies’ plans expected to impact transit, such as road changes and key development areas;

Guidance from Madera County Transit’s advisory committees;

Input from community organizations such as colleges, schools and social service agencies.